Syracuse University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry and that everything will work out for the best. I would assure myself that starting over in a new area knowing nobody is not as hard as it seems. I would encourage myself to get involved in campus activities right away and to be involved in more than I am now because it is a great way to meet a diversity of people. I was very disorganized so I would tell myself to get organized and stay organized. Avoiding procrastination is key to staying on top of schoolwork and doing your best, so I would stress this. I would advise myself to make good friends and to avoid those who are a bad influence. I would also remind myself that even though I will be far away from my home, if I ever need advice or just want to talk to someone that it is just a phone call away to my family or friends.

There are many things that a high school senior worries about when preparing for the transition to college life. For me, it was whether college would be the same drab time as high school, or would the things you hear about college being the best time of your life actually be real? As a senior, I hoped that the latter was the case, considering I was extremely ready to get out of my small, claustrophobic high school, where I felt I never really found my place among other students who seemed to have their own niches set. If I would have known that I would meet some of the most amazing people when I entered college, I would have been a less anxious high school senior. It is good to know that going to college is truly like starting over. It is so different. There is no need to worry about what your classmates thought of you in high school. That time is done. It may sound cliche, but no one will care who you were in high school when you enter college. It is a fresh start; one that was absolutely able to change my life.

I thought that college would be a scary experience and would be a knightmare. I was nervious and scared for myself, because i was alone on a large campus with people i did not know. However, if i knew what i did now, i would of been more calm and a little more friendlier, However, i did adapt to the college life and found friends, with whom will be my friends for the rest of my life. Finally, i was able to handle school work and social life very well, which i thought i would not be able to handle initially.

Amy, stop looking at me strangely. Yes, I did notice there are two of us. I am your future college self. Yes, I understand that you don't believe me, but listen to what I have to say anyway. I have some very important advice for when you go to college. Please take notes. Thank you. Ready? Here it goes: First of all, don't be afraid to be outgoing. You will make many friends if you just let your bubbly, vivacious side show. Next, get involved. Join a club or two clubs or five. On another note, don't eat the desserts in the dining hall. Otherwise you will gain ten pounds. Of course I can't forget: go to athlete events! Sure, you will have to endure the football team losing(constantly), but then you can watch basketball win! But go to some concerts and plays also! Otherwise you will regret it. Also, don't feel pressured to drink. People in college will respect your decision to abstain from alcohol. Finally, be a nerd. Find the library. Study hard. Ask questions in class. Your GPA will thank you. Oh, and by the way: you choose Syracuse University.

I would go back and tell myself that the transition is not exactly going to be easy, but stick with it because it will be better. I would say to go into college with a clear and fresh mind because you don't have time to let past stresses and problems hold you back and keep you from accomplishing what needs to be done. I would tell myself to be who I am and don't change my personality for anybody. You know you're not perfect and don't strive to be because you need to be content with who you are and everything else will fall into place. Last but not least I would tell myself to make sure I stick to my plans and don't let anyone distract you because they will try to, be the outgoing and passionate person you are but don't let anyone take you for a fool. Study hard, education is a privilege...Don't take it for granted.

Ah, naivet?. If I could go back, would have liked to know the concept of getting involved. I was over-involved in high school and decided to take a break once college rolled around. Finally, in the beginning of my sophomore year, I joined a few clubs and organizations. The friends I?ve made through those have been amazing; they?ve taught me more about what I?m doing and about myself. I wish I could go back and tell myself to jump right into it. Why wait? Sure, you?ve got your whole life, but don?t waste any time sitting around in the dorm room. I wish I knew all of the amenities of campus. I?m beginning to discover the best places to study (and sleep) on campus. Recently I?ve begun to find the restaurants, museums, and shows the surrounding area provides. I can?t help but wonder how much more I could have experienced had I known about this earlier. Classes are important?college is about academics, after all?but nothing can beat the memories of what I enjoy most. I just wish I found it sooner.

I would tell myself that moving away from isn't as easy as I though it would, and I that running away from my problems isn't easy either. College isn't just some vacation or some escape route from a crappy home life, but a new adventure that I need to take seriously and really focus on. I would have told myself that leaving Las Vegas for New York was the best decision I ever made, but I still had to work to change my life for the better and become the independent person I am today. Because I left home when I did, I can now stand on my own two feet without anyone else helping me. I wish I could have told my high school self about all the home-sickness first, but after I got over that, the person I became was much stronger and a lot happier than before I ever left!

Join clubs or groups on campus that you are passionate about and not for the social life. It will immerse yourself onto the campus-life culture, however be very aware of the damages being too involved in a sorority and fraternity can do. Be focused on your studies first and look for ways to get ahead rather than partying too much.

I personally would not have done anything differently. I am very happy with what I have accomplished at this school. I have made many new friends and have done very well academically. My internship in Dubai last summer confirmed this belief. In my opinion, the best program that my school has to offer (engineering-wise) is the internship in Dubai for civil engineers. Each year six students are selected to stay in Dubai for 5 weeks to work on construction sites that are in all stages of completion. I learned more in those 5 weeks than I did in almost all of college. The academic side of learning is extremely important, but practical experience is at least just as important. I feel that schools (at least my school until this program arose) do not provide enough real-world experience. With this in mind, I would encourage students to participate in programs that offer practical experience (no matter what their major may be). It is extremely important in terms of gaining knowledge, resume appearance, experiencing other cultures (abroad programs), and gaining real-world experience. Academics merely reinforce practical experience, they aren't a substitute.

I would definitely tell myself to have excellent time management skills. Aside from the rigor of classes, I am involved in a radio station, TV station and the Executive Board of my fraternity. Having to balance all of these activities can seem daunting from week to week. However, over the last two years, I've learned how to plan ahead, schedule certain work loads ahead of time, and still have opportunities to have an excellent social life. In high-school, time management was honestly never an issue because everything was so cut-and-dry: you went to school in the morning, had athletic practice afterwards, did homework, slept, then did it all over again the next day. At college, there are curveballs thrown at you every hour. Whether it's one paragraph of an essay, a beat reporter from Georgetown only being able interview you within the next hour, to a couple of guys playing football. Things are coming at you at all moments, and its so important to have the ability to keep everything in order and completible in a timely fashion. Hitting deadlines and planning, especially in my field of journalism, is key to excellence in college.